The ownership of the Iron Duke was transferred to Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust in January 2021, following long negotiations with the former owners Bourne Leisure. It closed as a business many years ago and has slowly deteriorated over the intervening period.
GYPT is a developer/preserver of the last resort and intervened in partnership with Great Yarmouth Borough Council when it was apparent that no future use was planned for the Iron Duke. It was vital that this Art Deco former public house was saved from terminal decline.
The Trust will ensure that the building is weatherproof and secure whilst it carries out a survey and an options appraisal for future use. The full range of options will be included in this appraisal. It is essential in securing funding to restore the building and to ensure that any future use is financially and economically sustainable over both the short and long term. The options appraisal will be the basis for a sustainable full business case being developed in order to apply for funding. Without this any application will not be subject to funding.
As a charitable trust it is not possible to develop or restore the built heritage without having the financial security of a sustainable end use. Over the next year these plans will be developed, funding applied for and hopefully a sustainable restoration of the Iron Duke being initiated.
GYPT is aware of the interest in this building and all of its activities. The Trust's annual 2020 report – including its current projects for 2021 – is available as a PDF download here:
Bernard Williamson
Chair of Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust
March 2021